altmaier



P. A. ALTMAIER, OF HARRISBURG, PNNSYLVANIA.

Lette/rs Patent No. 85,630, dated .Tamm/ry 5, 1865.

IlilIPROVEMENTiIN PADLOCK FOR :MAIL-BAG-S, Bcc.-4

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the sama'.

To all whom it may `concern Be it known that I, P. A. ALTMAIER, of Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin, and in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Locks; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure I is la view of inside of lock;

Figure II, inside view of faceplate.

Figure III, outside view of face-plate.

Figure IV, tumbler operating notched wheel.

Figures V, VI, tumblers operating the lock.

Figure VII, spring of tumblers.

Figures VIII, X, key.

Figure IX,`perspective view of face-plate.

The object of this invention is to provide, in conj unction with a lock for securing mail-bags, a label showing the'destination of the bag, both operating coincidently, as will hereafter be more fully explained. a

The rim A of this lock is constructed in the usual manner, to one side of which is pivoted the bolt A The tumblers `E El E2, operated by the springs F and" F', to fasten or release the bolt, are of the usual construction of tumblers, and will not require an elaborltte description.

The tumbler D is located upon the bottom plate o'f the lock, in position as shown inFig. IV-

'Ihis tumbler is secured in place by a pivot, g, attached to a piece, G, and a small spring, g', surrounding the pivot, permits thr tumbler to recede when the key is withdrawn.

Attached to the tumbler D is a dog, D2, which engages in the notches oithe concentric wheel O2, here after more fully described.

The lug d, fitting into notches d in tumblers E E E2, serves to stop them coincidently when shoved back.

'The inside view of face-plate represented in Fig. II, consists of-a disk, B, pivoted to an outside rimmed plate, C, and permits the disk B to be easily and readily moved by the button ()l on the outside of face-plate.

A concentric wheel, 02, with notches c2 cz c2 ci, (corresponding to the number of stations for which the lock .centric ,wheel C2.

may be used,) is rigidly fixed upon the stem-of the button G, in such position as to come in contact with the dog D2 on the tumbler D, inj the combined operation of securing the lock and label.

The names of stations, or cities and towns, which the bag is intended to supply with mail-matter, are stamped upon the inner side of plate B, so that each one can be readily seen through the slot or opening in outside plate G, when the button Cis revolved, and the key inserted for locking the bag.

Having described the special devices ofmyinvention, the operation of the same is as follows:

The key, constructed as shown in Fig. VIII, is in# serted in the lock at key-hole H, by the operator, and held there by the middle iinger of the 'left hand. The lugs a of the tumblers E E E2 are forced out of the notch a of the bolt, while, simultaneously therewith, the tumbler D, (also operated by the key,) is thrust backwards, releasing the-dog D2 from a notch in con- The button Ol is revolved by the right hand, until the station required on the disk B is seen through the opening on the face-plate. The key is then withdrawn, and both the bolt of the lock and the desired label are securely locked, the latter by the dog D2 being securely fixed in one of the notches.

For convenience, the stations corresponding to the number of notches in concentric wheel may be stamped on the lock at any convenient place, so as to know at a glance of the eye which lock to use for any given points.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Ihe combination of tumblers E E Ewith the tumbler D, dog D2, concentric wheel C2, notched as described, and disk B, the whole operating substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, this 27th day of November, 1868.

l?. A. AL'IMAIER.

Witnesses:

S. H. WALcrnns, F. W. Elms. 

